Sam, the Ugliest Dog
Santa Barbara, California, USA
Sam is a 14-year-old pedigreed Chinese crested and a three-time champ in the World's Ugliest Dog Contest. He is the dog of Susie Lockheed's dreams, a toad that will turn into a prince.
Sam is totally hairless. He has blackheads all over his skin, along with brown warts and moles.
His right eye appears reddish-purple from cataracts. His left eye is milky white.
Sam is one of four hairless dogs that hang out on the couch in Susie Lockheed's Santa Barbara home, where she operates a beauty salon. Susie gets allergies from furry animals--not from Sam. Now she can cuddle without worries. She can scratch fleshy, thin, potato-chip ears and run her fingers through the small patches of white hair on his head.
During the past few years, Sam has gone blind and suffered illness. He has also helped Susie survive treatment for thyroid cancer.
After drinking a radioactive iodine treatment, Lockheed had to stay at home for five days, and her entire room had to be covered in plastic--even the telephone. Friends had to leave food by her door because of the radiation. But she wasn't alone--Sam stayed with her. The two enjoyed lounging and watching television. Sam never left her except to visit the side yard through his doggy door. The two have been inseparable ever since. Now Sam cries when Lockheed isn't around.
People are made for dogs.
Info from Wendy Lee.